Church of Scientology Prevents Sale of Critic's Book in the UK

LONDON — 15/11/08 — British bookstores, and the British arm of the online retail site Amazon, have been forced to pull the sale of a new book critical of the Church of Scientology "for legal reasons", according to an email sent by Amazon to customers who have ordered the book. A new exposé by former Irish Scientologist, John Duignan, titled “The Complex: An Insider Exposes the Covert World of the Church of Scientology” (ISBN# 1903582848) has recently been released in Ireland, and garnered much press coverage there and in the UK, including The Sun[1] and The Irish Mail on Sunday[2].

Duignan, who joined Scientology in 1985 and quit in 2006, writes of his experience in Scientology’s elite Sea Organization, and details the conditioning that made him prepared to kill on behalf of the cult that famously claims actor Tom Cruise as one of its members. During Duignan's 21 years in Scientology, he was subjected to harsh indoctrination tactics, paid less than $50 a week for 40 hours of work, and witnessed the 'Rehabilitation Project Force', the Scientology organisation's network of forced-labour detention centres.[3]

The Scientology organisation has a lengthy track record of litigation and censorship. Earlier this year, the Scientology organisation threatened to sue online magazine Gawker for posting an embarrassing video of Tom Cruise extolling the virtues of Scientology.[4] In 2006, Tom Cruise reportedly prevented the airing of a rerun of the “South Park” episode, “Trapped In The Closet”, which poked fun at the actor and Scientology.[5] Journalist Paulette Cooper was subject to a similar campaign of intimidation. Cooper wrote a critical book, "The Scandal of Scientology", in 1971. Cooper proceeded to face harassment by the Scientology organisation, and was even framed for bomb threats by the organisation itself, through a campaign Scientology called “Operation Freakout".[6]

Duignan is reported to be "furious and dismayed" at Scientology's attempts to censor his work, but "not at all surprised given the Church's record on freedom of expression".

While “The Complex” remains unpublished in the UK, it may be bought from the bookstore Eason in Ireland.[7]

The book's publisher in Ireland, Merlin Publishing, can be contacted through their website[8] or by phone (01-4535866)